Abstract
Peatlands are ecosystems of great relevance, because they have an important number of ecological functions that provide many services to mankind. However, studies focusing on plant diversity, addressed from the remote sensing perspective, are still scarce in these environments. In the present study, predictions of vascular plant richness and diversity were performed in three anthropogenic peatlands on Chiloé Island, Chile, using free satellite data from the sensors OLI, ASTER, and MSI. Also, we compared the suitability of these sensors using two modeling methods: random forest (RF) and the generalized linear model (GLM). As predictors for the empirical models, we used the spectral bands, vegetation indices and textural metrics. Variable importance was estimated using recursive feature elimination (RFE). Fourteen out of the 17 predictors chosen by RFE were textural metrics, demonstrating the importance of the spatial context to predict species richness and diversity. Non-significant differences were found between the algorithms; however, the GLM models often showed slightly better results than the RF. Predictions obtained by the different satellite sensors did not show significant differences; nevertheless, the best models were obtained with ASTER (richness: R2 = 0.62 and %RMSE = 17.2, diversity: R2 = 0.71 and %RMSE = 20.2, obtained with RF and GLM respectively), followed by OLI and MSI. Diversity obtained higher accuracies than richness; nonetheless, accurate predictions were achieved for both, demonstrating the potential of free satellite data for the prediction of relevant community characteristics in anthropogenic peatland ecosystems.
Highlights
IntroductionAnthropogenic peatlands emerge when native forests are cut in poorly drained sites, which trigger vegetation succession processes with high moss abundance (from the genus Sphagum [4])
Peatlands are wetland ecosystems of great relevance, because they store large amounts of carbon [1], regulate the storage and purification of water [2], and are a habitat for particular species [3].Anthropogenic peatlands emerge when native forests are cut in poorly drained sites, which trigger vegetation succession processes with high moss abundance
Predictions of vascular plant richness and diversity were performed in three anthropogenic peatlands on Chiloé Island, Chile, using free satellite data from the sensors Operational Land Imager (OLI), ASTER, and Multi Spectral Instrument (MSI)
Summary
Anthropogenic peatlands emerge when native forests are cut in poorly drained sites, which trigger vegetation succession processes with high moss abundance (from the genus Sphagum [4]). This moss is currently harvested due to its value as a substrate for horticultural purposes. In this sense, the study of vegetation structure is key to preserving the functions and services that these peatland ecosystems provide to humans [5]. There are numerous studies that describe different techniques for monitoring wetland vegetation, which have used active sensors such as RADAR (radio detection and ranging) [8]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
